Develop a personal vocabulary of ideas for your jewellery making whilst gaining making skills and learning new techniques relevant to your projects. The course begins with a short, structured project, and then fabricating, decorating and joining will be demonstrated.

You will increase your understanding of how to make jewellery and how to develop an individual design vocabulary as you gain confidence in your ideas and a new level of creativity. Successful contemporary studio jewellers depend on having a unique and personal quality to the designs they produce. This course will help you to understand more about the process of design and will help you develop a personal vocabulary of ideas, alongside learning a range of techniques appropriate to your designs.

Your tutor’s approach to teaching skills is mostly on an individual basis, where needed. However, she will demonstrate some techniques that are relevant to all or some of the group. She aims to instil confidence and to encourage you to be creative.

As well as basic fabrication techniques and decorative processes, you are encouraged to think about incorporating other materials, such as exotic hardwood, bone, shell, feathers, paper, acrylic and found materials. You will look at different sorts of cold connections to enable these materials to be combined with silver to make individual and exciting pieces.

By the end of the course, you will have gained knowledge of how to design jewellery and the processes to execute these designs. Everyone should complete at least one piece of jewellery.

Included

Use of tools and machinery You will need to purchase silver or copper to complete your project. This can be purchased from the College Shop or in advance from a supplier.

What students need to bring

• An apron
• Shoes that cover your feet (no sandals, flip flops or high heels)
• Something to tie your hair back with if it is long
• Any tools you have, marked clearly with your name
• Please come prepared with a small sketchbook in which you may have collected some images of things that appeal to you (could be of anything) and perhaps a few drawings of things you might like to make. Do not worry if you think you cannot draw; just a few lines to explain your ideas will be fine.

Available to buy

Available from shop:

• Silver can be purchased from the College Shop, which stocks a range of sheet, wire, rod, tube and findings. These will be available in set sizes and lengths, suitable for a wide range of projects. Basic tool kits are available to borrow.

Available from tutor:

• The tutor carries a range of alternative materials, such as exotic hardwood, bone, shell, feathers, paper, acrylic and found materials.

Additional information

Please note: If you have any definite ideas of what you would like to make and achieve on the course or any previous experience, please email: [email protected] before the course. This will help the tutor plan the best course possible.

Metal can be brought in advance from: Silver supplier: Argex Limited, Birmingham or Tools, Precious Metal: Cookson Precious Metals, London

Wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear, i.e. no open-toes or sandals.

Arrival day - first date of course
Residential students can arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm for registration  
Student welcome, followed by dinner: 6.45pm (dinner included)
Teaching session: 8pm-9pm (attendance is essential)

Daily timetable
Course teaching: 9.15am-5pm  
Morning session: 9.15am-12.45pm including coffee/tea break  
Lunch break: 12.45pm-2pm (lunch included)  
Afternoon session: 2pm-5pm including coffee/tea break  
Teaching finishes: 5pm    
Evening working: students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with permission from the tutor and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.

Departure day - last date of course
Course teaching: 9.15am-3pm (lunch included)  
Teaching finishes: 3pm  

Residential students will need to check out of rooms by 10am.
Please note, the tutor may make slight variations to the daily timetable as required.

Terms & Conditions